Mail-crane.



' PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. P. B. REED.

MAIL CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. /4 l2 9 ILL-888,452.

z m H 2 2 T 89 N E 7 W H M 1 2 a Z M HI 9 II W1 TNESSES PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

1?. B. REED.

MAIL CRANE.

APPLICATION-FILED AUG.13, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WNVENTOR AfforneyS ja /MM n1: NORRIS Pzrzns cm, WASHINGTON, n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. REED, OF MORELAND, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS A. KING AND JAMES H. KING, OF MORELAND, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-CRANE.

.T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. REED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moreland, in the county of Lincoln, State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Cranes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail cranes, and it has particular reference to a mail crane of that type which includes a supporting post and hinged arms carrying the spring hooks for engagement with the rings of the mail bag, the 0bject being to provide spring hooks of novel construction, in which are combined the advantages of simplicity, durability and efliciency.

The details of the invention will appear in the course of the following description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, like characters of reference designating similar parts, throughout the several views, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing the manner of use of a mail crane constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of such crane, the arms being shown by full lines in position for use, and by dotted lines in folded position. Fig. 3 is a detailed View of the spring clip, above referred to. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4. 4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, and showing by dotted lines the lateral swinging movement of the spring hooks.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates a stationary post mounted adjacent the track and to the front face of which an arm 6 is connected by hinged joints 7. To the rear face of the post 5 and at the upper end thereof, an elongated arm 8 is connected by hinged joints 9, the arm 8 projecting forwardly of the post coextensive with the arm 6, and projecting rearwardly of the post to afford a gravity leverage in order that said arm, when not in use, may automatically swing to the dotted line position A. In like manner, the arm 6, when not in use, drops by gravity to the dotted line position B. It will be noted that the arm 8 folds against the rear face of the post and the arm Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 13, 1907.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 388,390.

6 folds against the front face thereof. The mail bag hooks are designated by the numerals 10 and 11 and are counterparts in construction. Each of said hooks comprises a member 12, pivoted at one end thereof to the outer faces, of the members 6 and 8 and a member 13 pivoted at one end thereof to the inner faces of said members, the pivots of the members 12 and 13, being designated by the numeral 14. The member 12 is extended at a substantial right angle at an approximately central point as at 16 and beyond the angular portion 16 is extended in parallelism to its major plane as at 17, the portion 17 being secured by a rivet 18 or other fastening device to the member 13.

At its extremity, the portion 17, is bent into parallelism as at 19 with the portion 16 and the portion 19 is bent recurvately upon itself as at 20 with its extremity out-turned, as at 21. In like manner, the member 13 has its extremity in-turned as at 22. The provision of the portion 16 in the member 12 not only renders said member conformable to the front end of either of the arms 6 or 8, but it materially strengthens the same and the structure as a whole against such strain as would cause the parts to become dismantled when the members 12 and 13 are swung in unison upon their pivots. The portions 19 and 20 serve to effectually accommodate 'the rings on the end of a mail bag against accidental displacement and at the same time to afford a finger piece by means of which the members may be readily manipulated in engaging said rings therewith. The outturned ends 21 and the in-turned ends 22 facilitate such manipulation.

The invention is simple in its structural details, inexpensive to manufacture and practical and eflicient in use.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and efficient means are provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements herein shown and described are well adapted to serve the functions set forth, it is obvious that various minor changesmay be made in the proportions, shape and arrangement of the several parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

That is claimed is:

A mail crane comprising a stationar post, upper and lower arms hinged to sai post,

I 10 tion being secured to said first named memher and having its extremity extended at a substantial right angle and then bent recurvately and out-turned, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I affiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. REED.

Witnesses:

NANNIE' HUSTOR, M. J. PRUITT. 

